Recipe: Smoked Turkey Sandwich for a Crowd

The turkey and cheese sandwich is a lunchtime classic. It’s the kind of midday meal you can count on being a universal hit with almost everyone at the table (except the vegetarians, obviously, but there’s a sandwich for them too). When you’re tackling lunch for a crowd, there’s no need to make 10 turkey sandwiches to go around. One or two big ones is all you need. This is how to pull it off.

To get started, put away the bread and rolls — we’re going bigger. Instead go for a big, round loaf (sometimes called a boule), about eight inches wide. From Italian and sourdough, to pumpernickel and whole-wheat, any boule will do. Pick your favorite variety.

These big bread loaves are ideal for feeding a crowd, but can prove to be an overly bread-y sandwich when made as is. And as much as we love a good dose of carbs, it’s the smoked turkey and cheddar that are the stars of this meal. The real key in making this sandwich is all about how you prep the bread: Scoop out the soft interior of the loaf after halving the bread, and leave just a thin-walled crust behind.

Instructions

Cut the bread in half horizontally. Hollow out and remove most of the soft interior of the bread from each half and save for another use, like DIY breadcrumbs.

Spread the cut sides of the bread with mustard. Layer the turkey and cheddar inside the bread bottom. Top with butter lettuce. Place the top on the sandwich, tightly wrap the sandwich in 2 layers of plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

Recipe Notes

Easy serving: Cut the sandwich at home, then rewrap for easy serving at the park or picnic.

Make ahead: This sandwich can be made 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Storage: Tightly wrapped and stored in the refrigerator, leftovers will last up to 3 days.